Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway

The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, affectionately known as the “Tenn-Tom”, is located in the Mobile District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It joins the Tennessee River in Northeast Mississippi with the old Tombigbee River near Amory, Mississippi. The waterway is 234 miles long and runs from Yellow Creek Port near Pickwick Lake to Demopolis, Alabama. The system features 10 lakes and 10 locks and dams that allow for a shorter navigational route from the interior United States to the Gulf of Mexico.

The river section of the waterway stretches from Demopolis, Alabama north to Amory, Mississippi and encompasses 149 miles and four locks and dams. The canal section of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway stretches north from Amory, Mississippi to Jamie L. Whitten Lock and Dam near Dennis, Mississippi. Forty-six miles in length, it has a total of five locks and dams. The divide section of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway begins at Jamie L. Whitten Lock and Dam and runs north for 39 miles to Yellow Creek on Pickwick Lake near the Tennessee border.

The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway has 3 federally authorized purposes – navigation, wildlife mitigation and recreation. Navigating the waterway, as opposed to taking the Mississippi River, saves time and money by reducing the trip to the Gulf Coast by more than 800 miles. The wildlife mitigation program features more than 70,000 acres of land and another 100,000+ acres at other areas for wildlife to thrive in nature.

The Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway is an outdoor enthusiasts' paradise. Located conveniently in Northeast Mississippi and West Central Alabama, the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway provides outdoor recreational opportunities for more than 3 million people each year, while also aiding navigation and enhancing wildlife habitat. From picnicking and fishing to camping, the Tennessee-Tombigbee has recreation opportunities for everyone.